Safaricom PLC has announced the 10 startups selected as finalists for the second cohort of its Spark Accelerator Program, a corporate innovation initiative launched in partnership with M-PESA Africa, Sumitomo Corporation, and implemented by iHub. The program, which begins in October 2025, will fast-track the growth of these startups by providing mentorship, technical support, and market access opportunities. This year’s selected ventures include MediaKits.Io, Weplay Arcade, GoPay, FlexPay, QuePay, LETAAI, Oye, DigiTax, Incourage, and StockApps.io. The Spark Accelerator Program is designed to empower early-stage ventures that are building innovative, commercially viable solutions with a strong societal impact. According to Safaricom CEO Dr. Peter Ndegwa C.B.S, the initiative goes beyond financial support to equip startups with critical tools such as product development support, access to customers, and extensive distribution networks. This holistic approach ensures that entrepreneurs are not only funded but also strategically positioned for sustainable growth and scalability. The accelerator features a dual-track model tailored to maximize startup growth. Through the iHUB-led track, founders participate in structured workshops, expert mentorship, and advisory sessions that sharpen their skills and refine their business strategies. In parallel, the corporate engagement track grants access to Safaricom and M-PESA Africa’s commercial and technical teams, opening up distribution channels and integration opportunities that enable startups to test, refine, and scale their solutions in real-world markets. The cohort will culminate in a Demo Day scheduled for February 2026, where the startups will showcase their progress and pitch to venture capital funds, investors, and key stakeholders. Importantly, Safaricom has also built post-acceleration support into the program, offering nine to twelve months of continued guidance to help participating startups navigate the challenges of scaling and market entry beyond the demo stage. The selected ventures represent diverse and strategically significant sectors for Africa’s future, including Embedded Finance, Creative Economy, Future Fintech, and SME Productivity Tools. As noted by Ojoma Ochai, Managing Director of iHUB and Co-creation HUB (CcHUB) Limited (RC 918335), corporate accelerators like Spark are vital to Africa’s innovation journey. By strengthening the capacity of ventures to scale, the program creates pathways for sustainable growth, resilience, and long-term impact across the continent. #Innovation #TechStartups #SafaricomSparkAccelerator #MPEASAAfrica #iHUB #CorporateInnovation #VentureCapital #AfricaTech #Fintech #CreativeEconomy #Entrepreneurship #SMEDevelopment #FutureOfWork https://lnkd.in/djiNAJrm
Safaricom selects 10 startups for Spark Accelerator Program
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1moCongratulations to the startups.